The raise will cost the city about $462,000 in annual salary costs. Linda McNeely, D-13, cast the lone "no" vote.

Tom McNamara, D-3, said he approved the raise because the city has been losing staffers not just to the private sector "which is understandable," but to smaller surrounding cities and villages.

The road construction plan had more discussion, with most aldermen advocating for greater input in the plan earlier in the process and a need to find more money to fix residential streets.

The controversial Whitman Street bridge fixes, which could cost $4 million to $15 million, depending on how much the city wants to change the web of ramps and bridges, was a popular topic. But once Jamie Getchius, R-2, said there is no money in the road budget for Whitman Street in 2014, the plan passed 11-2.

ROCKFORD - Aldermen put brakes on a plan to demolish the Water Street parking deck until the project can be vetted with downtown businesses that use the space.

The City Council was asked Wednesday to reallocate $200,000 in River Edge Redevelopment Zone funds to raze the two-level deck that is home to Rockford City Market in warmer weather.

Aldermen said tenants in the Waterside Center, which is on Water Street adjacent to the deck, haven't been given the chance to discuss how parking changes would affect their businesses.

The deck would be changed into a surface lot, but exactly how many spaces it would have and how it would be designed haven't been determined.

"I don't have a problem with them tearing it down as long as they provide us adequate parking once it's gone," said Mike White, who owns the building.

Customers drive the need for parking space, and if they don't have adequate parking, they won't come downtown, he said.

City officials see razing the deck as a less expensive option than the $750,000 it would cost in structural repairs it will eventually need and more conducive to the growing City Market.

How much it would cost to raze the deck and build a surface lot wasn't mentioned.

Businesses inside the Waterside Center already make sacrifices to help assure City Market's success, including closing early on Fridays to accommodate the market.

Ald. Tom McNamara said city staff had led City Council members to think that tenants had been included in the discussion about the potential demolition, but he found out before Wednesday's scheduled vote that those talks hadn't happened.

McNamara said it's inexcusable that tenants had not been included in the discussion.

"The tenants and the owners have been fantastic partners with the city. They've been wonderful, compliant partners with (Rock River Development Partnership) and the wonderful City Market."

Attorney Ann Dempsey of Oliver Close, which occupies part of the Waterside Center, said tenants are waiting to see the city's plan for the Water Street lot.

"We support the market and will continue to support the market," she said. "We think there is room for the market to continue to be successful and allow adequate parking for existing businesses."